Austrian Cultural Forum

 office building, national government / government, cultural center / centre, commercial building

279-foot, 24-story office building completed in 2002. Designed by Raimund Abraham, the Austrian Cultural Forum New York is the main cultural embassy of the Republic of Austria in New York and the United States. The organization was founded in 1942, and occupied a townhouse on this small site. The current building was built to replace to townhouse when it became apparent that more space was needed. A competition of architects from Austria (and expats) was held, which drew 226 entries. The winning design was selected and construction was approved by the Austrian Parliament. Ownership belongs to the Republic of Austria, Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Facilities of the Forum tower include exhibition galleries; a flexible theater for performances, screenings, and lectures; a library; loft-like presentation areas and seminar rooms; reception and meeting spaces; staff offices; a multi-level residence for the Forum's director; and an open-air loggia at the tower's pinnacle.

By placing the required fire escape at the rear (north) of the property Abraham was able to fully utilize the 25-foot width of the property for requirements put forth for the design. On the main facade, layers of slanted planes in greenish glass, steel, and aluminum appear to slide apart like a telescope, reaching for the sky. Above the glass doors of the ground floor, covered by a metal canopy, the facade angled back dramatically. Tall, narrow panes of green glass extend to the 7th floor, while beginning at the 3rd floor, the first of the varied metal structural ornament begins its vertical ascent up the center of the tower. Horizontal, silver metal panels extend to the 6th floor, with a projecting vertical fin in the middle running from the 4th floor to the base of the 7th, bisecting a square opening in the metal panels at the 6th floor. The 7th floor has a wider concrete and metal block projecting farther out; its front face is capped by a metal screen with a T-shaped cutout, and it has green-tinted windows at its sides.

Above, the 8th floor is recessed, and the 9th-10th floors resume the slant of the facade, followed by the 11th-12th floor, jutting out slightly before continuing up and back. These floors are also bisected by a projecting metal fin, with a beam sticking out horizontally to the south at the tops of the 10th & 12th floors.

The 13th-18th floors jut out again and resume the backwards slant, with a vertical metal band cross by short metal spandrels dividing the glass facade into two halves. The glass panes (four on each side) end above the 18th floor, with the top floors clad solely in silver metal. Here, open cutouts cross the facade, some squared at the ends, with one narrowing to points. Two far-projecting horizontal beams cap the occupied space at the top of the tower, surmounted by two levels of metal screening for the water tower and mechanical equipment behind.

The side elevations are clad in silver metal panels at the front, with pre-cast concrete further back. At the rear, the zinc-clad scissor-like staircase angles down the full facade.

www.acfny.org/the-building/